Crampons provided with spikes

ABSTRACT

Disclosed are chain-type crampons for preventing mountain-climbing boots from being slipped on a snowy road or icy road when climbing a mountain. The crampons having an elastic band and chains mounted on the band are provided with a plurality of spikes and link rings, so that a brake power on the snowy road or icy road is increased and snow is not adhered to the crampons.

This application is a reissue of U.S. Pat. No. 7,428,788, which issuedfrom U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/299,097, filed Dec. 9, 2005,which claims the benefit of Korean patent application No.20-2005-0001685, filed Jan. 19, 2005, each of which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to crampons for preventingmountain-climbing boots from being slipped on a snowy road or icy roadwhen climbing a mountain in the winter season, and more particularly, tochain-type crampons having an elastic band and chains mounted on theband which are provided with a plurality of spikes and link rings, sothat a brake power on a snowy road or icy road is increased and snowsare not adhered to the crampons.

2. Background of the Related Art

In general, since temperatures are low, and snows and ices pile up onthe ground, in the winter season, snowy roads or icy roads are formed onmountain passes. Climbers are frequently slipped on the snowy road oricy road through carelessness or beyond human control, when climbing amountain, so that climbers are bruised or are seriously wounded, such asa fracture.

In order to prevent the emergency situations, most of themountain-climbing boots are put on crampons. The climbers carry thecrampons at ordinary times, and put the crampons on the boots in an areawith snowy roads or icy roads, thereby keeping a body in safe and thuspreventing the slip.

The existing crampons are generally put below a bottom surface of theboots to prevent the slip on the snowy roads or icy roads in the winterseason. The crampons includes a body and a binding band, in which thebody is downwardly bent to form about 4 to 6 spike edges at the bottomsurface thereof, and the binding band is coupled to the body to tightlybind the body against the outsole of the boots, when the climber putsthe crampons on the boots.

Recently, in order to shorten a time required to put the crampons on theboots or remove the crampons from the boots, the binding band of thecrampons is provided with a fastening member having a hook and acoupling ring. For example, crampons capable of shortening the timerequired to put on the crampons is disclosed in Korean Utility ModelRegistration No. 20-0252026 entitled “Crampons”, which is assigned tothe same applicant and is incorporated herein by reference.

According to the crampons disclosed in the publication, an elastic bandis bound around the upper portion of an outsole of mountain-climbingboots, and chains are coupled to the band as an anti-skid member. Thechains are coupled to each other to partially cover the bottom surfaceof the boots, thereby preventing the slip of the boots due to thefriction between the crampons and the snowy road or icy road.

When the climber puts the crampons on the boots, a front heel portion isfirstly inserted in the widened elastic band, and the band is pulled toenable it to cover the upper portion of the outsole corresponding to arear heel. The crampons are tightly attached to the boots due to theelastic force of the band, and the chains are disposed below the bottomsurface of the boots.

The existing crampons have a discomfort drawback in that the snows areadhered to the chains when temperatures are low. Specifically, snowsadhered between the chains are gradually getting bigger. Further, incase the chains disposed at the rear heel portion of the boots areapplied with strong frictional force when climbing a steep slope, theband tightly covering the front heel portion of the boots is stretched,so that the wearing state of the band is deteriorated.

Also, in addition to the drawback that the snows are adhered between thechains to make the behavior discomfort, the brake power on the snowyroad or icy road is remarkably decreased.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to crampons formountain-climbing boots that substantially obviates one or more problemsdue to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.

An object of the present invention is to provide chain-type cramponshaving an elastic band and chains mounted on the band which are providedwith a plurality of spikes and link rings, so that a brake power on asnowy road or icy road is increased and snows are not adhered to thecrampons.

To achieve the object and other advantages, according to one aspect ofthe present invention, there are provided chain-type crampons providedwith spikes, in which an elastic band is bound around an outsole ofmountain-climbing boots, and chains are coupled to the band as ananti-skid member, the crampons comprising: a front spike, a centerspike, and a rear spike, respectively, disposed at a front portion, acenter portion, and a rear portion of a bottom surface of the boots,engaged to the chain and coupling rings, and formed with a plurality ofspike edges; lateral spikes disposed forward between the front spike andthe center spike and engaged to the chain and the coupling ring; linkrings each engaged to the front spike, the lateral spikes, and thecenter spikes; and a circular restraining bar coupled to the lateralspikes tightly attached to a front heel of the boots.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description of the present invention areexemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide furtherexplanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention andtogether with the description serve to explain the principle of theinvention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating crampons according to a firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating the wearing state of the cramponsaccording to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view illustrating the wearing state of the cramponsaccording to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view illustrating the crampons according to a firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view illustrating the wearing state of thecrampons according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a major part of front andcenter spikes according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a major part of lateral spikesaccording to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a major part of a rear spikeaccording to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a top view illustrating the installed state of a restrainingbar according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating the wearing state of cramponsaccording to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a top view illustrating the removed state of cramponsaccording to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of a portion ‘A’ in FIG. 11; and

FIG. 13 is a perspective view illustrating a major part of a spikeaccording to a second embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A preferred embodiment according to the present invention will now beexplained with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The chain-type crampons installed with spikes according to the firstembodiment of the present invention, in which an elastic band 10 isbound around an outsole of mountain-climbing boots 1, and chains 20 arecoupled to the band 10 as an anti-skid member, is characterized bycomprising: a front spike 30, a center spike 50, and a rear spike 60,respectively, disposed at a front portion, a center portion, and a rearportion of a bottom surface of the boots 1, engaged to the chain 20 andcoupling rings 21, 23, 24, and 25, and formed with a plurality of spikeedges 33, 53, and 63; lateral spikes 40 disposed forward between thefront spike 30 and the center spike 50 and engaged to the chain 20 andthe coupling ring 22; link rings 70 and 80 each engaged to the frontspike 30, the lateral spikes 40, and the center spikes 50; and acircular restraining bar 13 coupled to the lateral spikes 40 tightlyattached to a front heel of the boots 1, as shown in FIGS. 1 through 9.

The elastic band 10 made of rubber or synthetic material is adapted tocover the upper portion of the outsole of the boots 1, and bosses 11protrudes from an outer edge of the band 10 at a desired interval sothat fixing rings 12 are mounted to the bosses 11. The chains 20 and thecoupling rings 21, 22, 23, and 24 are coupled to a plurality of fixingrings 12 spaced apart from each other at a given interval.

The coupling rings 21, 23, and 24 are coupled to the front, center, andrear spikes 30, 50, and 60 each integrally formed with bent spike edges33, 53, and 63. The front, center, and rear spikes 30, 50, and 60 aredisposed at the front, center, and rear portions on the bottom surfaceof the boots 1. The lateral spikes 40 are disposed at both sides betweenthe front spike 30 and the center spike 50, and are coupled by the chain20 and the coupling ring 22.

The front spike 30, the center spike 50, and the rear spike 60, whichare disposed at the front, center, and rear portions of the bottomsurface of the boots 1, respectively, are formed with fastening holes 31and 32; 51 and 52; 61 and 62 at both lateral ends and a center portionthereof. Also, the front spike 30, the center spike 50, and the rearspike 60 are bent at the side thereof to integrally form the spike edges33, 53, and 63.

The lateral spikes 40 disposed at both front sides on the inner bottomsurface of the boots 1 are formed with fastening holes 41 and 42 at bothlateral ends and center portion, and are bent toward the bottom surfaceto form the spike edge 43.

The front spike 30, the center spike 50, and the rear spike 60, whichare disposed at the front, center, and rear portions of the bottomsurface of the boots 1, respectively, are coupled to a plurality of linkrings 70 configured to freely pivot. The rear spike 60 is coupled to thecenter spike 50, the link chain 80, and the chain, with it being mountedto the chain 20 and the coupling ring 24.

The link ring 70 positioned at the front portion of the bottom surfaceof the boots 1 is bent to be pivotally inserted into is bent to bepivotally inserted into the fastening holes 32, 42, and 52 of the frontspike 30, the center spike 50, and the rear spike 60. The front spike 30and the lateral spikes 40 are coupled to the chain 20 and the band 10via the fastening holes 31 and 41 formed at center portion and thecoupling rings 21 and 22.

The rear spike 60 is disposed at the rear portion of the inner bottomsurface of the boots 1, and is coupled to the center spike 50 byconnecting the fastening hole 51 of the center spike 50 disposed at thecenter portion with the fastening hole 61 positioned at the centerportion by use of the link ring 80, the chain 20, and the coupling ring25, with the fastening hole 62 formed at both sides of the elastic ban10 being mounted with the chain 20 and the coupling ring 80.

The chain-type crampons provided with spikes according to the firstembodiment of the present invention includes the front spike 30, thelateral spikes 40, the center spike 50, and the rear spike 60, which aredisposed at the front, both sides, center, and rear portions on theinner bottom surface of the boots 1 and have spike edges 33, 43, 53, and63, respectively, thereby increasing a brake power on a snowy road oricy road.

With the chain-type crampons provided with spikes according to the firstembodiment of the present invention, in order to prevent the band 10tightly attached to the boots 1 from being stretched when the frontspike 30, the lateral spikes 40, the center spike 50, and the rear spike60 are applied with strong frictional force in climbing a steep slope,both chains 20 tightly attached to the front heel of the boots 1 areprovided with the circular restraining bar 13, so that the restrainingbar 13 is restrained by the front heel portion of the boots 1 to preventthe stretching of the band 10.

Consequently, the first embodiment of the present invention includes thefront spike 30, the lateral spikes 40, the center spike 50, and the rearspike 60, respectively, disposed to the front, both sides, center, andrear portions on the inner bottom surface of the boots 1 which comes incontact with the snowy road or icy road, to increase the brake power andthus prevent the slip effectively. Also, the front spike 30, the lateralspikes 40, the center spike 50, and the rear spike 60 are coupled to thelink rings 70 and 80 configured to be freely pivoted, thereby solvingthe existing problem in that the snow is adhered to the boots.

Specifically, the front spike 30, the lateral spikes 40, the centerspike 50, and the rear spike 60, respectively, disposed to the front,both sides, center, and rear portions on the inner bottom surface of theboots 1 are coupled to each other by use of the link rings 70 and 80made of an iron wire to solve the problem in that the snow is adhered tothe boots, breaking from the chain structure of the existing crampons.

According to the present invention, the front spike 30, the lateralspikes 40, the center spike 50, and the rear spike 60, respectively,having a plurality of spike edges 33, 43, 53, and 63, are provided tothe existing crampons, thereby effectively preventing the slip of theboots 1 on the snowy road or icy road.

Both chains 20 are provided with the circular restraining bar 13, sothat the chains 20 are tightly attached to the front heel of the boots1. Hence, in case the front spike 30, the lateral spikes 40, the centerspike 50, and the rear spike 60 are applied with the strong frictionalforce in climbing a steep slope, the restraining bar 13 is caught by thefront heel portion of the boots 1, thereby preventing the band 10 frombeing stretched and thus maintaining the normal wearing state.

The chain-type crampons installed with spikes according to a secondembodiment of the present invention, in which an elastic band 100 isbound around an upper portion of an outsole of mountain-climbing boots2, and chains 200 are coupled to the band 100 as an anti-skid member, ischaracterized in that a plurality of spikes 300 are disposed at a frontportion, a center portion, a rear portion, and both sides between thefront portion and the center portion on a bottom surface of the boots 2,and the spike is bent downwardly to form at least one spike edge 310,and is formed with a plurality of fastening holes 320, as shown in FIGS.10 through 13.

As shown in FIG. 11, the crampons of the present invention includes aplurality of spikes 300, a plurality of chains 200 for coupling thespikes 300, and a plurality of fixing rings 210 for coupling the spikes300 and the chains 200 with a fixing portion 110 of the band 100.

A plurality of spikes 300 are adapted to hold the chain 200 and thechain 200. The number of the spikes 300 may be varied depending upon theuse of the crampons (for example, climbing a mountain, climbing an iceridge, or the like). If the number and position of the spikes 300 arevaried, the number of the chains 200 coupling the spikes 300 and thenumber of the link rings 210 coupling the spikes 300 and the band 100may be varied.

Preferably, the spikes 300 having the spike edges 310 are installed tothe chains 200 forming the anti-skid member, in order to balance theboots 2 with the crampons according to the present invention withrespect to the ground.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of the spike 300 of the crampons accordingto the present invention. As shown in FIG. 12, the spike 300 has atriangular shape, and is formed with a plurality of fastening holes 320.Any one of three corners of the triangle is downwardly bent to form aspike edge 310 corresponding to the outsole of the boots 2.

The number of the fastening holes 320 formed in the spike 300 isselected to exceed the sum of the number of the chains 200 for couplingthe spike 300 with other spike 300 and the number of the coupling rings210 for coupling the chain 200 with the band 100. Preferably, thefastening holes 320 among a plurality of fastening holes 210, throughwhich the chain 200 passes, are formed in the spike 300 in balance.

Referring to FIG. 13, the spike edge 310 is formed by bending a cornerarea of the spike 300 downwardly. In case the crampons according to thepresent invention are installed to the boots 2, the spike edge 310formed on the spike 300 faces the ground. Further, one or more spikeedge 310 may be provided to the spike 300.

Although it is described in that the spike 300 has the triangular shape,the spike may be formed in other shape (for example, circular orpolygonal shape). If the shape of the spike 300 is changed, the numberand position of the fastening holes 320 formed in the spike 3200 and theposition of the spike edge 310 may be varied.

Referring again to FIG. 11, the chain 200 couples other spikes 300 toeach other to maintain the spacing between the spikes 300.

One end of the fixing ring 210 is engaged to the chain 200, and theother end is engaged to the fixing portion 110 of the band 100, therebycoupling the chain 200 with the band 100. In the present invention, thechain forming the anti-skid member is made of a chain structure, but aspring structure of a twist structure made by twisting a plurality ofmetal wires may be provided.

Explaining the coupling state between the band 100 and the chain 200forming the anti-skid member with reference to FIG. 10, the band 100 isprovided with the fixing portion 110 formed in a circular ring shape tocouple the fixing ring 210 of the chain 200. The fixing portion 110 iscoupled to one end of the fixing ring 210 in an unopenable fashion.Specifically, the band 100 is integrally formed with the chain 200 notto disassemble the band and the chain. In this case, it is preferablethat the number of the fixing portions 110 is equal to that of thefixing rings 210 provided to the chain 200.

Although it is described in that the fixing portion 110 formed on theband 100 is coupled to the fixing ring 210 in the unopenable fashion byintegrally forming the band 100 and the chain 200, the fixing ring 210of the chain 200 coupled to the fixing portion 110 may be formed in anopenable ring to divide the chain 200 from the band 100.

Further, although it is described in that the fixing portion 110 isformed in a circular ring shape on the band 100, the fixing portion 110may be formed in a through-hole penetrating a plate of the band 100, orin other shapes of which a catching hook (for example, U-shaped ring) isattached on the band 100, so that it can be coupled to the fixing ring210 of the chain 200 forming the anti-skid member.

As shown in FIG. 10, the fixing ring 110 formed in a circular ring shapeon the band is engaged to the fixing ring 210 of the chain 200 formingthe anti-skid member, thereby forming the band 100 and the chain 200 inone unit. The band 100 is made of elastic deformable rubber, whichcovers the boots partially. Since the band 100 is made of elasticdeformable rubber, the crampons 2 of the present invention may be easilyworn or removed on or from any kinds of footwear, regardless of a sizeor shape of the mountain-climbing boots. The band 100 may be made of asemi-organic polymer comprising silicon which has good heat resistanceand insulating property.

The chain-type crampons provided with the spikes according to the secondembodiment of the present invention have an advantage of effectivelypreventing the boots from being slipped when climbing or walking themountain in the winter season, by providing the chains 200 and spikes300 for coupling the chains 200 and formed with the spike edges 310.Further, the crampons of the present invention may be easily put on themountain-climbing boots by using the band 100 made of elastic rubber,regardless of a length and shape of the boots. Also, the user can easilywear or remove the crampons on or from the boots.

With the above description, the chain-type crampons of the presentinvention having the elastic band and the chains mounted on the band areprovided with a plurality of spikes and link rings, so that the brakepower on the snowy road or icy road is increased, and the snow is notadhered to the crampons. In particular, the restraining bar is installedto the front portion of the boots, thereby increasing the binding forceof the crampons.

The forgoing embodiments are merely exemplary and are not to beconstrued as limiting the present invention. The present teachings canbe readily applied to other types of apparatus. The description of thepresent invention is intended to be illustrative, and not to limit thescope of the claims. Many alternatives, modifications, and variationswill be apparent to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:
 1. Chain-type crampons provided with spikes, inwhich an elastic band is adapted to be bound around an outsole ofmountain-climbing boots, and chains are coupled to the band as ananti-skid member, the crampons comprising: a front spike, a centerspike, and a rear spike, respectively, positioned to be disposed at afront portion, a center portion, and a rear portion of a bottom surfaceof the boots when the elastic band is bound around the outsole of theboots, said spikes being formed with a plurality of spike edges; lateralspikes disposed forward between the front spike and the center spike,wherein the front spike, center spike, rear spike and lateral spikes areeach operatively engaged to the chain via coupling rings; link ringseach engaged to the front spike, the lateral spikes, and the centerspikes; and a curved restraining bar coupled to at least two chains ofthe chain and operatively coupled to the front spike, the curvedrestraining bar being engaged with a front of the boots when the elasticband is bound around the outsole of the boots.
 2. The crampons asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the front spike, the center spike, and therear spike, respectively, are formed with fastening holes at bothlateral ends and a center portion thereof, and the front spike, thecenter spike, and the rear spike are bent at the side thereof tointegrally form the spike edges.
 3. Chain-type crampons provided withspikes in which an elastic band is adapted to be bound around an upperportion of an outsole of mountain-climbing boots and extend from a frontportion to a rear portion of the boot when bound around the boot, andchains are coupled to the band as an anti-skid member, the cramponscomprising: a plurality of spikes that are operatively coupled to theelastic band via chains and positioned to be disposed at a frontportion, a center portion, a rear portion, and both sides between thefront portion and the center portion on a bottom surface of the bootswhen the elastic band is bound around the outsole of the boots, whereinthe spikes are bent downwardly to form at least one spike edge, and areformed with a plurality of fastening holes and a restraining bar coupledto at least two chains and being engaged with a front of the boots whenthe elastic band is bound around the outsole of the boots.
 4. Thecrampons as claimed in claim 3, wherein the band is formed with fixingportions of a circular ring shape for coupling the chains.
 5. Thecrampons as claimed in claim 4, wherein the chains have a fixing ring.6. The crampons as claimed in claim 3, wherein the spikes have atriangular shape, and are formed with a plurality of fastening holes,and wherein any one of three corners of the triangle is downwardly bentto form a spike edge.
 7. Chain-type crampons provided with spikes inwhich an elastic band is adapted to be bound around an upper portion ofan outsole of mountain-climbing boots and extend from a front portion toa rear portion of the boot when bound around the boot, and chains arecoupled to the band as an anti-skid member, the crampons comprising: aplurality of spikes that are operatively coupled to the elastic band viachains and positioned to be disposed at a front portion, a centerportion, a rear portion, and both sides between the front portion andthe center portion on a bottom surface of the boots when the elasticband is bound around the outsole of the boots, wherein the spikes arebent downwardly to form at least one spike edge, and are formed with aplurality of fastening holes and a restraining bar caught by the frontheel portion of the boots to prevent the band from being stretched. 8.The crampons as claimed in claim 7, wherein the restraining bar iscurved.
 9. Chain-type crampons provided with spikes in which an elasticband is adapted to be bound around an upper portion of an outsole ofmountain-climbing boots and extend from a front portion to a rearportion of the boot when bound around the boot, and chains are coupledto the band as an anti-skid member, the crampons comprising: a pluralityof spikes that are operatively coupled to the elastic band via chainsand positioned to be disposed at a front portion, a center portion, arear portion, and both sides between the front portion and the centerportion on a bottom surface of the boots when the elastic band is boundaround the outsole of the boots, wherein the spikes are bent downwardlyto form at least one spike edge, and are formed with a plurality offastening holes and a restraining bar engaged with the front of theboots when the elastic band is bound around the outside of the boots toprevent the band from being stretched.
 10. The crampons as claims inclaim 9, wherein the restraining bar is curved.
 11. Chain-type cramponsprovided with spikes in which an elastic band is adapted to be boundaround an upper portion of an outsole of mountain-climbing boots andextend from a front portion to a rear portion of the boot when boundaround the boot, and chains are coupled to the band as an anti-skidmember, the crampons comprising: a plurality of spikes that areoperatively coupled to the elastic band via chains and positioned to bedisposed at a front portion, a center portion, a rear portion, and bothsides between the front portion and the center portion on a bottomsurface of the boots when the elastic band is bound around the outsoleof the boots, wherein the spikes are bent downwardly to form at leastone spike edge, and are formed with a plurality of fastening holes and arestraining bar coupled to at least two chains of the chain and beingengaged with a front of the boots when the elastic band is bound aroundthe outsole of the boots to prevent the band from being stretched. 12.The crampons as claimed in claim 11, where in the restraining bar iscurved.
 13. Chain-type crampons provided with spikes in which an elasticband is adapted to be bound around an upper portion of an outsole ofmountain-climbing boots and extend from a front portion to a rearportion of the boot when bound around the boot, and chains are coupledto the band as an anti-skid member, the crampons comprising: a pluralityof spikes that are operatively coupled to the elastic band via chainsand positioned to be disposed at a front portion, a center portion, arear portion, and both sides between the front portion and the centerportion on a bottom surface of the boots when the elastic band is boundaround the outsole of the boots, wherein the spikes are bent downwardlyto form at least one spike edge, and are formed with a plurality offastening holes and means for preventing the front of the band frombeing stretched when the elastic band is bound around the outside of theboots.
 14. The crampons as claimed in claim 13, wherein the means forpreventing comprises a curved restraining bar.